


A Diamond in the Rough

by Mahfiruz



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-08
Updated: 2020-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:07:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23059738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mahfiruz/pseuds/Mahfiruz
Summary: A little fic about Kikyo's origins inspired by some beautiful pictures from Chinese films and tv series I found on Pinterest. It's an alternative theory than the one I use in Assassin x Assassin.
Relationships: Kikyou Zoldyck/Silva Zoldyck





	1. Chapter 1

“What brings you to me again, sir?”

“I need a partner again for a job.”

“And I can find you one.”

“I want the partner you supplied me with last time.”

“Why, sir?”

Fain, gave Yoshi a glare before saying, “I wouldn’t expect information from those who move in the shadows and deal death for a living, secrecy is important in our profession. Those who work with us need to respect that. Especially those who wish to work with the elite of such a profession.”

Yoshi was a crude type of criminal, compared to the more refined type of killer Fain was, but he was aware of how great an opportunity working with the Kirumaes was and swallowed his pride, he wouldn’t have gotten that far if he hadn’t learned when to counter with strength or humility. 

“I don’t do many things for free, and that includes giving advice,” Fain warned, “Anyway, my partner.”

“I’m afraid she died in the epidemic, sir.”

There was a pause.

“How unfortunate,” Fain said, breaking the silence. He then turned and left the building.

There was no body, but was he being foolish for believing she could still be alive. Struggling to figure out what to do; with the emotions he had for her and what she could mean to him as well as the fear of delusional denial. Fain began to feel a presence following him. His highly attuned assassin perceptiveness pulled him back to a state of alertness and strategy as he began to analyze the situation. The person was small, probably a child or adolescent, they weren’t using nen to conceal their presence so they probably hadn’t learned it. The child may have been sent by the man from his last encounter, but that would have been bold and reckless. Fain headed towards a dark isolated alley. Where he cornered his stalker.

His pursuer was a ragged young woman. She had scrapes and a layer of grime on her skin. He unintentionally started comparing the young woman to _her_ to figure out his stalkers age, his heart aching a little at the memories of _her_. 

The young woman stiffened and swallowed as she confronted the powerful assassin, trying to squash down her fear with determination.

“Hello,” the young woman said.

“Following people more powerful than you will get you killed,” Fain told her.

“But not today,” the girl said, half asking and half stating the words, “Assassins rarely do things for free, and you just gave me advice.”

Fain, had to give the girl some credit for her spunk, a trait all too painfully familiar, “What do you want, girl?”

“Money, security . . . revenge. You’re looking for Kikyo, right?”

The girl’s name was Auriann and she was nineteen. Kikyo had been friends with her sisters and had helped take care of them. Her sisters that had died from Yoshi’s abuse and selfishness. While Kikyo had grown cold and began to care only for her family, Auriann simmered with rage. That’s how the girls learned to survive. Kikyo fought to protect her family, Auriann robbed of such a goal fought to avenge hers. Both girls had ideologies built by the slum; the world was an unfair and dangerous place, and believing you could change it was a luxury, a delusional and deadly one. Hunger had painted ribs on their chests, they had gathered the coldness that surrounded them and placed it in their hearts to try to keep their bodies warm. Kikyo’s dark talent helped her and the ones she loved prosper as much as they could in the slum they lived in. Her skin was tough and her nails were sharp.

Auriann explained that Kikyo had lost her remaining family in the epidemic, with nothing to hold over her and her skills growing Yoshi felt threatened by Kikyo. A week before Kikyo had gotten sick and in her weakened state Yoshi tried to have her killed but she escaped.

Light shone down through the holes in the ceiling, illuminating the amount of dust and debris in the air. Kikyo was curled up on her side using a trash bag she had torn out of dumpster as a blanket, and shaking violently as she drifted in and out of fever dreams.


	2. The Kirumae Estate

She ran her hands down her silk dress, smoothing out the nonexistent wrinkles. Having been nursed back to health Kikyo now resembled a china doll with her pale skin and sleek hair, both clean of the dirt and smog that got on everything in the slum. She felt like a china doll too, a fragile object waiting to see if they pleased whoever they were presented to. The deadly assassin was, after all, still a child. She could hide her emotions just fine on most missions, but this wasn’t a mission. This was a slum child being presented to the matriarch of a powerful line of assassins. It was also an orphan teetering on the edge of an improbable fate she desperately wanted; having a family. 

Fain noticed his niece’s nervousness yet didn’t know how to respond. It’s not that he didn’t care for the girl, on the contrary his fondness for her was what prompted his investigation into her parentage - which lead to the discovery that she was his late brother’s daughter - but he was unsure how to proceed.

“Relax,” Fain told his niece placing a hand on her shoulder as they walked down the hallway to the study, “Despite the ominous ornate black leopard carvings, there’s nothing bad behind that door.”

Fain opened the double doors and Kikyo walked in behind him. An elderly yet regal woman was sitting on a throne-like bench, she smiled at them warmly as they entered and bowed to her. 

“Kikyo, this is your grandmother Aiko,” Fain introduced

“Come here, child,” Aiko said gently, beckoning Kikyo forward. Realizing she had been staring she lowered her gaze to the floor as she walked over to the Aiko. Kneeling, Kikyo kissed the hem of Aiko’s robe then pressed it to her head respectfully. Aiko placed her hand under Kikyo’s chin and gently tilted Kikyo’s face up towards her. Aiko’s hand affectionately caressed Kikyo’s face.

“What a beauty,” Aiko said giving her another warm smile, the motherliness in it pulled on Kikyo’s heart and tears began to well up in her eyes. Kikyo turned her head away in shame and tried to wipe away her tears, but Aiko placed her old weathered hand on top of Kikyo’s and said, “Let them flow, child. You’re safe here.” 

* * *

Fain watched from the balcony as Kikyo sparred with her younger cousins in the courtyard, expertly avoiding the combined attacks of all four of them.

“She’s flourished, hasn’t she,” Aiko said, appearing behind Fain.

“Indeed,” replied Fain who was watching as Kikyo coax her exhausted cousins into a post-training contest. Fain knew that despite their complaining they would all be playing one of Kikyo’s games joyously in a few minutes. Kikyo was both as calm and graceful as a crane and as ferocious as a tiger. Though she was frequently the leader of her cousins and great help to the adults, she had her moments of melodrama too. Still, Fain was glad she had melded into the family, her family, so well that she could display her vices. 

“I sometimes forget that it’s only been a few years since we found her,” Aiko continued, “But every time she walks into my study I’m reminded of the first time when she was a scrawny and scratched up little thing. I hope we’ve healed some of the scars on the inside as well.”

“ . . . . Have your scars healed, mother?” Fain asked, softly.

“Perhaps it’s not the best metaphor.” 

“She is much happier, or so I believe. You’d know better than I would.”

“You won’t always be able to rely on me, though.”

“No, mother.”

“We must look to the future. Kikyo holds great promise.”

“She is quite a formidable force and has improved greatIy, I think she’ll be the most talented of us all.”

“Indeed, but what do you make of her skills now?”

“In what way?”

“A Kirumae assassin has been requested for a certain mission and I am debating whether or not to send Kikyo.”


End file.
